In a conference call, several parties are called or call-in on their landlines or mobile phones to listen and even participate in the telephone call. Conference calls may be configured so that the calling party calls other participants and adds them to the call. Alternative, participants may be able to call into the conference call themselves, by dialing into a special telephone number that connects them to a conference bridge. The conference bridge links the different telephone lines. A service provider may maintain the conference bridge and provide the phone numbers and PIN codes that participants can dial to access the telephone conference.
A conference call is typically controlled by the host device/user. The host may be a user who schedules the conference call and controls the features of the call, including when the call begins and when it ends. The conference call cannot begin without the host terminal and ends as soon as the host terminal is no longer part of the conference. Such a rigid configuration introduces several problems.
For example, the host may be running out of charge on his/her terminal (e.g., mobile communication device) and may want to continue the call on another terminal (e.g., mobile or landline communication device). Alternatively, the host may no longer need to be part of the conference and may want to transfer control of the bridge to another participant. In existing conference systems, the bridge is immediately severed when the host terminal is no longer available. There is no capability for the host to transfer his or her control of the bridge to another communication device or to another participant. Accordingly, the other participants are prevented from continuing the conference. If the host is no longer available, the participants would have to re-establish a conference, thereby wasting valuable time and possibly disturbing the momentum of the original conference.
Accordingly, there is a need for a method and system to move the control of a bridge to another communication device or another participant of a conference.